Awaken Your Spirit: A Journey into Self-Discovery & Spiritual Connection 😌👐

I’ve been on a spiritual journey lately. 🧭 It just felt like 2024 was the right time to really do a deep dive into my inner being. We’re oftentimes more preoccupied with the outside, so we neglect growing internally. With all of the ugliness going on in the world now, it’s definitely the time to awaken your spirit. I’ll share a few ways to handle that!

Awaken Your Spirit Through Gratitude 🙏🏽 

Gratitude is a lot deeper than most of us really think about. We probably don’t even think of it as being good for the soul, but it’s an easy way to nurture your inner being. It goes well beyond the “I’m thankful for my house, my job, etc.” There’s so much more to be thankful for outside of material possessions. 💯

     Yes, having “stuff” is a blessing, but if you sit back & really look around in the world, you’ll see that those possessions are so trivial. I’ve been keeping a gratitude log for years. I used to end my nightly journal sessions naming one thing I was grateful for. 📝 I’d try not to repeat any as well, but there were some struggle days when the previous 24 hours weren’t the sweetest to me. It’s the main reason I made sure every Intentional Journal has a daily gratitude section. 

     As y’all have heard before, my journal routine is strong. 💪🏽 I can probably count on 1 hand the days I missed journaling even a few sentences in the last decade. It’s a seriously effective coping skill of mine that allows me to unpack the baggage from that day & try to rest well. My brain stays on go mode, so I need a way to get some of those things out. Whether it’s a vent session or a list of interesting things I came across during the day, I put pen to paper every night. ✍🏽

     As I got older, gratitude became less surface level. I went from being grateful for having extra money, a working car, & other material things to seeing the little things that really matter. The money & “stuff” just doesn’t matter; they tend to be temporary fixes that cause endorphins to be released to make you feel better. Plus, there are so many things that outlast them (especially the money 💸✌🏽).

     Think about all of the body parts you have that work; although several of mine hurt frequently, there’re all present. Take a glance around your house; I’ve got somewhere to sleep, running water, A/C & heat when needed, food to eat (even if it’s not want I want to eat), & I can feel the love within the walls of the home. 🏡 🥰 Reflect on your life experiences; I’m grateful for all of the lessons I’ve learned, places I’ve been, people I’ve encountered, & experiences I’ve had, good, bad, or indifferent.

Activity 👀🤗: Do it; take a few quiet moments to examine your surroundings & see how many things you can come up with that you’re grateful for. You might be a little surprised!

Awaken Your Spirit Through Mindfulness & Meditation🧘🏽‍♀️ 

Mindfulness 

Mindfulness is simply just being in the present. This is at times a challenge for me. The Pisces in me can daydream in a hot second & people not even be aware I’m in another zone. ♓️ With my mind constantly on the go, I can’t help but not be in the present all the time. I’m always thinking ahead (reactivity gives me anxiety 😫). However, I’ve been working on mindfulness a little more over the last couple of years. 

     It’s easiest for me to practice mindfulness when I’m on vacation. I think being in more of a relaxed state helps my mind slow down some. The lack of urgency & responsibilities turns me into a whole other person. 😈 To do it, I usually have to be outside in a naturally beautiful place. I’m not sure which is my favorite: the beach or the mountains. 🏖️🏔️

     When I’m at the beach sitting in the sand, I don’t have to be doing anything. I’ll typically bring a book & my headphones to occupy my brain, 📘🎧 but I can also just sit & be. The sound of the waves & the occasional bird chirping is very peaceful. 🌊  The monotony can lull you right to sleep.

    The mountains give me a different vibe though. It’s just as peaceful, but in a different way. The silence is the perfect setting for a good mindfulness session. 🔇 You don’t really hear much in the mountains beyond the rustle of the leaves in the wind & animals moving about. You never know how much you can appreciate silence until you sit in a rocking chair on a cabin porch in the mountains in fall. 🍁🍂 Gorgeous!

Activity 🤫💭: Pick a spot outside to sit (even if it’s in your car with the windows down). Silence all alerts, radios, etc, & tune into what your 5 senses pick up on. What do you:

• Hear?
• See?
• Feel?
• Smell?
• Taste?

Meditation

Meditation can put you in super zen mode! 🧘🏽‍♀️There have been times that I’ve gone so deep into my meditation that I’ve fallen asleep or felt like my limbs felt like wet noodles. 🍝 I was a little too relaxed. It takes a lot of focus though, & that’s challenging when you have racing thoughts.  

     The practice is a part of my nightly wind down routine though. I turn the Daily Calm on & get a good 10-12 minutes in. I have to do a guided meditation so I can stay on task. Otherwise I’d be thinking of everything under the sun. What’s the use of that when I’m trying to wind down?!

     The session usually starts off with the narrator telling the theme of the session. Then she guides you into deep breathing & focusing on the area you mostly feel your breath. 😮‍💨 Once she’s guided you into that routine, you’re free to focus on whatever sound you choose. I usually will have either a storm, rain, or rushing water in the background on mine. At the end, she brings you out of deep meditation & discusses the theme for a few minutes. You get to chill & learn sometimes. 

     The key to meditation is to be somewhere with a minimum amount of distractions. 🔑Unless I’m thoroughly entertained or interested, I get distracted easily. Having 1000 ideas flying through my brain at once doesn’t help either. So when I usually meditate, it’s right before bed when pretty much everyone is asleep. 🛌 Here & there, I’ll do a quick lunchtime session to regroup. I’m solo as well since I work from home. Either way, it’s quiet & provides the serene scene I need to get my mind right. 

Activity 🧘🏽‍♀️: Grab some headphones & find a quiet spot. Search for a guided meditation session on YouTube that’s no more than 10 minutes (if you’re new to this). Close your eyes, & try to focus on the session.

Awaken Your Spirit Through Religion 🧎🏽‍♀️‍➡️

God has been a driving force in my life, for sure. The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve come to understand Him & the importance of having a relationship with Him (or some Higher Power). Now I still believe you don’t have to go worship in a building or with others in order to have a strong spiritual relationship. However, when you find places & people that spiritually fill you, it’s definitely a bonus. 🙌🏽 

     I’ve been watching a church in Atlanta for several years. I like that I can watch live online or watch the recording if I’m tied up during the live. 💻 I also like that the service isn’t all day long, & the preachers always have a great message that intertwines scriptures & present-day life. I find it easier to understand if you speak the language I speak (& I don’t mean English). 

     I’ve also been studying the Bible with a JW lady for years. Being able to unpack the Bible has given me more of a sense of the stories. It also has killed many of the stereotypical misconceptions people have about their denomination of Christianity. There are many other denominations that are more strict. 🧐

     Lately I’ve been attending a church near my house, & I enjoy it there too. ⛪️ The pastor keeps it real, & you can feel God’s presence each week. If I can’t make it in person, I’ll watch on Facebook. I just don’t feel like my week will go right if I don’t put a little bit of God into my routine first. Anytime I miss my spiritual food, my week reflects it. God let’s ya know!

     Intentional released 2 more journals yesterday, & one of them is right in line with spiritual self-care. Soulful Serenity is a spiritual journal packed with positive affirmations, theme-based Bible scriptures to keep you encouraged, spiritual writing prompts to help you dig deep, an area to express all of your thoughts for the day, & sections for reflecting on gratitude & daily prayers. 🛐 There’s even a section dedicated to keeping track of your answered prayers each month. It has a little bit of everything you need to pour into your spiritual life for a whole year!

     Over the next 30 days, we’ll be touching on these methods & some additional ones that can help you get your spiritual self-care routine up. We’ll explore internal as well as external factors that can contribute to you awakening your spirit & feeling much better. Feel free to drop us a message on any topics you’d like to see. Gotta spread the wealth to try to make the planet a better place! 🤗🥰